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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · roll · cabinet · can · cap · bore · patient · rest

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. can — to be able to
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cap — of ice
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. cap — a hat
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rest — a break
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bore — to drill
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bore — to tire
  18. cap — a lid
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. roll — a list
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. can — a tin
  24. rest — what's left

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com